‘Clock is ticking’ on new Coliseum

The message was clear on Feb. 14 at a Nassau County Legislature Economic and Community Development and Labor meeting — the clock is ticking on building a new Coliseum for the New York Islanders.

“Don’t let [owner] Charles Wang move his team of Islanders out of Nassau County and leave a generation of Nassau County-ites devastated,” Longtime Islanders fan and Syosset resident Laura Schultz pleaded in front of the legislature.

“Find a way — find a compromise that allows the Islanders to stay in Nassau County,” Schultz said.

At the public hearing held by the Economic and Community Development and Labor Committee, discussions surrounding the redevelopment of Nassau Coliseum continued, with local politicians, labor officials and Islanders officials agreeing that those parties involved must reach a speedy compromise in order to move forward with a plan to keep the Islanders from leaving Nassau County.

In August, Nassau County voters overwhelmingly voted “no” to a proposal to borrow $400 million to build a new Coliseum and minor league ballpark. Despite the referendum having the support of labor unions, Vision Long Island and many businesses surrounding the Uniondale facility, it had strong opponents in the Association for a Better Long Island and Nassau County Democratic leaders.

In the end, more than 150,000 voters came to the polls, with about 90,000 voting against the plan. The vote has since left the future of the New York Islanders in doubt, with their lease set to expire in 2015.

At the meeting, members of the committee, including County Legislator Denise Ford (R-Long Beach), chairwoman of the committee, said that it is imperative to work together to develop a viable plan before time runs out.

“Time is of the essence. We want to keep the Islanders here,” Ford said. “We must look to economic development to help bring jobs and much needed revenue to our County.”

Ford added: “But the County cannot do this alone. I have all the confidence that we can work together to find a plan that would work.”

In July, before voters defeated the referendum, County Executive Ed Mangano detailed the negative impact on county residents if a new arena was not built. According to an economic-impact analysis conducted by Camoin Associates, an economic-development firm, the county would lose $243.4 million in annual sales, and 2,660 jobs would disappear if the Islanders were to leave.

Legislator Carrié Solages (D-Elmont) said that the redevelopment of the Nassau HUB area — including the Coliseum — is of paramount importance to the future of Nassau County.

Solages explained his interest in the prospect of bringing “exciting, new green industry” jobs to the location, and stressed the importance of job creation to allow for affordable housing to keep young residents in the county.

County and Islanders officials told the Economic and Community Development and Labor Committee that they are considering an arena financed by private dollars, including state and federal funds.

Deputy County Executive Robert Walker said that Mangano has continued to try to find a way to keep the Islanders in Nassau County and to build a new sports and entertainment complex that would appeal to everyone. Walker said he agreed with Solages on economic development in the county, and said officials are working diligently on a redevelopment plan.

“We want to keep the Islanders here — we believe it’s a great venue,” Walker said of the Coliseum. “All we really need to have in this county to keep young people here is economic activity . . . without it, Nassau County is doomed.”

But New York Islanders Senior Vice President Michael Picker said that the idea of some form of public funding has to be “on the table.”

“Private investment by itself probably doesn’t do it just for the Coliseum,” he said.

Picker also said that the redevelopment is about saving, and creating, jobs, noting that when people work, they have money “to support their families, pay their mortgages, pay their taxes, and spend dollars in local businesses.”

“We need a venue to spur financial growth, as well as be a catalyst for development for the area, and to continue our quality of life, right here on Long Island,” Picker said. “Nassau County is the first choice — we’d like to stay.”

Walker and Legislator Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) both agreed that in order to ensure for the building of a new arena — and to revitalize the HUB area — a decision must be made by the end of 2012.

After the meeting, Walker said that Mangano and county officials will release a “new vision” for the project after meeting in the next couple weeks with Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Walker added that state and federal dollars obtained would be put toward the redevelopment. No county dollars, he said, would be put toward the Coliseum.

“We need the redevelopment to happen immediately, the time is now,” Walker said. “We’re in conversations with the Islanders. We’ll see where we get. We hope to keep the Islanders here.”